A man struggling to make ends meet wants to one day buy his wife a gift. He doesn’t have much, but every night, he empties whatever spare change he has into a jar—nickels, dimes, maybe the occasional dollar. “One day,” he tells himself, “this’ll turn into something special.” Years go by. The jar gets full.…
A while ago, I saw this video of a couple humorously bragging about how smart their kids are. The joke? No matter what wisdom they tried to share, the kids would immediately respond, “I know.” The father consults multi-million dollar companies. The mother is an expert in her field. But to their kids? They’re clueless.…
Bnei Yisrael were living a life of open miracles in the desert.They were surrounded by Divine protection—clouds by day, fire by night, manna from Heaven, clothing that never wore out. It was a life completely enveloped in Hashem’s presence. So when it came time to enter Eretz Yisrael, they hesitated.To them, it felt like a…
Most of us think we’re stuck.We don’t see change. We don’t feel growth.We’re doing the same things, facing the same struggles… and wondering:“Am I even moving forward?” But Hashem sees something you don’t:You’re not stuck. You’re leveling up. Growing up with my siblings, I never noticed myself getting taller. None of us did. We were…
Two Jews can daven the same tefillah, attend the same shiur, and give the same tzedakah — yet in Hashem’s eyes, they may be worlds apart. Why?Because it’s not just what we do that matters.It’s how.It’s the kavana behind it all. The Chovot HaLevavot teaches that one person may go through life focused on themselves,…
What Korbanot, Birkat Kohanim, and Shmoneh Esrei Teach Us About Showing Up With Kavana Sometimes, I catch myself in the middle of Shmoneh Esrei and realize… I’m not even there. I said the words. I bowed in the right places. I even remembered to pause before Modim. But my head? Somewhere else entirely. And yet…
Living the Purpose of Our Redemption In Parshat Emor, we read a powerful command: “You shall not desecrate My holy name, and I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel.” (Vayikra 22:32)Immediately after, the Torah reminds us: “I am Hashem who took you out of Egypt to be your God.” Rashi explains: The purpose…